Devesh Chaturvedi calls for policy shift to support regenerative agriculture
NEW DELHI, 4 May 2025: A well-structured and fool-proof incentive system is crucial to encourage Indian farmers to voluntarily shift toward non-chemical fertiliser-based farming, Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi said on Friday.
He was addressing a policy dialogue hosted by the Pahle India Foundation (PIF) on the future of natural and regenerative agriculture.
Chaturvedi, who heads the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, stressed that natural farming must move beyond a niche market and become a mainstream approach to make nutritious, chemical-free produce accessible to the wider population.
“There is a strong need to create a comprehensive framework of incentives that can guide and support farmers making the transition to non-chemical practices,” he said.
Natural farming must go mainstream
Former NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Dr. Rajiv Kumar echoed the sentiment, calling for a paradigm shift in Indian agriculture to secure the country’s nutritional, ecological, and health future.
“Agriculture must transition from chemical dependency to sustainable practices. But for that, we need rigorous, empirical research to back the viability of non-chemical methods,” Kumar said.
Pan-India study to assess viability
At the event, Professor Harpinder Sandhu of Federation University, Australia, and Aditi Rawat of PIF unveiled a methodology for a nationwide study aimed at evaluating the scalability of regenerative farming practices across India’s diverse agro-climatic zones.
The study seeks to generate scientific evidence to inform policy decisions, support transition frameworks, and build farmer confidence in sustainable models.
Experts call for research, collaboration
Other panellists stressed the urgency of building a strong research base, creating scalable models, and enhancing collaboration between scientists, policymakers, and farming communities.
“Accelerating the adoption of regenerative agriculture will require cross-sectoral partnerships, robust data, and farmer-friendly policy innovations,” said one expert at the event.
As climate concerns and soil degradation loom large, the call for a strategic national shift towards regenerative and chemical-free farming is gaining ground among agricultural thinkers and policymakers.
